Josh Tomlin doesn’t operate under some grand misconception about the type of pitcher he is. He’s aware of his physical limitations. And to his credit, he’s never used them as a crutch.

When he’s not pulling his weight or living up to his own personal standards, he doesn’t hide from any sense of accountability. It’s an honorable trait that makes him a pleasure to cover. And it’s probably one of the several features that make him a favorite within the Indians’ clubhouse walls.

Unfortunately, simply earning the respect of your peers doesn’t keep your earned-run average respectable. For Tomlin, that comes through hard work, homework and a reliance on one of baseball’s most accurate pitch arsenals.

For that reason, any slight hiccup in the mechanics, release point or velocity can leave him vulnerable to major damage. Thus far, more than a few hiccups have positioned him as the outlier on a tremendously...